Broadstairs Folk Week 6 – 13 August 2010

The Kent festival unveils its 2010 line-up

Broadstairs Folk Week celebrates its 45th birthday in 2010 – with a fantastically varied line-up that reflects the huge diversity of over 600 musicians, singers and dancers that flood into the town during festival week.

The concert marquee in Pierremont Park will once again play host to some of the best acts in folk, roots and acoustic music – including award-winners and nominees at the BBC Folk awards 2010: Show of Hands – Best Duo BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards 2010 and best original song Martin Simpson – Best Traditional Track.

Nominated for best live act – Adrian Edmondson and the Bad Shepherds, playing an amazing folkie take on punk classics from the Clash, The Sex Pistols, The Stranglers, The Jam, Sham 69, The Undertones, The Ramones, The Buzzcocks, The Specials, Talking Heads, Squeeze and even Kraftwerk!

Opening the festival will be Charlie Dore and the Hula Valley Orchestra – she might be familiar to people as the singer of the hit single – ‘Pilot of the Airwaves’ and she is currently enjoying a well-received renaissance on the folk/country scene.

“There’s good news too for budding young performers, we have taken a good look at our children’s programme and given it a few tweaks; Shooting Roots will run workshops for ages 8 – 12 and 13 – 17; there will be a chance to form a Junior Morris side; Mick Scott’s workshops for 7-9 year olds will be a sort of Recycled Marching band meets the X Factor, and popular favourites Toddlers’ Singalong, Story Time for the over 3’s and English Country Dancing will all be back.”Artistic Director, Kim Headley

Other acts appearing at Folk Week 2010 include the Demon Barber Road Show, The Shee, Mawkin:Causley, Chris While and Julie Matthews, Pama International, Elvis Fontenot and the Sugar Bees and many more. There’s even going to be a Silent Folk Electronica Disco – more details will be released later in the year!

Last year’s newly introduced Priority Booking for Friends of Folk Week was a great success and gained the festival many more Friends eager to ensure their tickets for the headline evening concerts.

All the favourite elements of the festival will still be there – the Torchlight Procession on the first Saturday, Clarence the Dragon and the Hooden Horses, the free Hobby Horse Club at the Bandstand, mad Morris mayhem and free music in pubs and cafes throughout the town.

In 2009, Broadstairs Folk Week was the subject of a Festival Health Check and Peer Review, carried out by an independent consultant and funded by the Arts Council and KCC.Festival Director, Jo Tuffs says “We applied for grants to have this review carried out as we need to be sure of our goals for the future and also we were overdue an objective assessment of the organisation. I am so pleased that the findings were overall so positive and will help Folk Week when we approach funders and sponsors for support.”

The survey compared Folk Week with over 200 festivals nationwide, including Brighton, Edinburgh, Salisbury and other major events. The survey showed that Folk Week raises 10% more of its own income than any other festival in the survey. The huge contribution from volunteers is also a major factor in sustaining the festival and making it as cost-effective as possible.

“Obviously Folk Week has challenges to face like any other event that is held in a town, ” says Jo Tuffs “but this document has certainly helped us to focus on the important issues that we face and will inspire confidence in our supporters that Folk Week is a well-run and enormously successful festival within the community and far beyond. ”

Season tickets are on sale now for everyone, with discounts available for Thanet residents. The full souvenir programme with details of every event, including the pub sessions will be available in late June.

The Folk Week web-site is regularly updated with news and information about all the artistes appearing during the festival.To join the Friends of Folk Week, either call 01843 604080 to request a leaflet or download the application from the Folk Week website.

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